Graphite lubricator.



No. 6s3,n4. 'Patented sept. 24, mol.v

F. GIELUW, Sn. GRAPHITE LUBRICATUB. Application filed Dec. 3, 1900.) (NoModel.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

almufnglll No. 6a3,||4.- Ptenfed sept. 24, |901.

`F. GIELow, sx. GRAPHITE LUBRICATOR.

Applfc-acon me@ Dec. 3, 1900.)`

, Q: 3 f f7 (No Model) moms vnsnspa. mqmgmeo., wn'mumn, n j c..

No. 683,!!4. Patented Sept. 24, |9DI. F. GIELow, sn.GRAPHITE'LUBBICATUR.

(Application flled Dec. 3, 1900.) (No Model.) v SSheeis-Sheet 3.v

UNTTED STATES PATENT EETCE..

GIELOIV, JR., AND CHARLES BURIWIEISTER, OF SAME PLACE.

GRAPHITE LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,1 14, datedSeptember 24, 1901.

' Application filed December 3, 1900. Serial No. 33,441- (No model.)

cylinder of an engine or an air-pipe for lead-v ing to the cylinder of acompressor.

Its objects are to simplify and cheapen and generally improve theconstruction of devices of this kind, and particularly to prevent theentrance of iuid from the pipe into which the lubricant is to bedelivered into the reservoir.

The invention consists in the construction hereinafter described andwhich is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 isa view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of thepreferred form of construction of the lubricator. Fig. 2 is a detailvertical section of the reservoir on a plane perpendicular to that ofFig. 1, some of the driving mechanism being shown in elevation. Fig. 3is a detail plan on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation,partly in section, of a modified form of lubricator. Fig. 5 is a detailvertical section of the lubricator shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detailplan section on the line 6 G of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an inverted detailplan on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1. Fig. S is an enlarged detail, partiallyin section, of the valve-casing and check -valve illustrated in Fig. 1,the valve being moved from its seat. Fig. 9 is a detail section on theline 9 9 of Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a sectional detail of a part of thelubricator, and Fig. 11 is a sectional viewon the line 11. 11 of Fig.10.

In the preferred form of construction a cup or reservoir 10 forcontaining a supply of graphite is provided with a screw-cap 11 and witha discharging-barrel 12, leading downwardly through its bottom andopening into a chambered casing 13, which discharges into a pipe 14 forconveying the graphite. to the part to be lubricated, such as thecylinder of a steam-engine or air-'compressor, a fluid-pressure pipe 15leading to the chamber of the casing 13. A plunger 16, reciprocatingthrough an apertured guidebar 17, set across the interior of thereservoir 10, is adapted to enter and to be entirely withdrawn from thebarrel 12 at each of' its strokes. This plunger is attached to a looseeccentric-yoke 1S, having an upwardly-prejecting stem 19, which enters aguide-socket 20 of the cap 1l. An eccentric 21, mounted upon a shaft 22,journaled in the side Walls of the reservoir 10, engages the yoke 18 andcauses thereciprocation of the plunger. One end of the shaft 22 passesoutwardly through a stuffing-box 23 and carries a ratchet-Wheel 24,driven by means of a spring-pawl 25, carried by an oscillating arm 26,fulcrumed upon the shaft 22 and actuated by any suitable mechanism. Acheck-valve 27, preferably conical in form, is applied to the deliveryend Vof the barrel 12,and is normally held to its seat by a spring 28,reacting between the head of the valve and a cross-bar 29, set acrossthe chamber of the casing 13. The pipe 14 is preferably provided With aglass sight-tube section 30, of ordinary form, and in that event acontracted nozzle 31 is employed, so as to discharge the lubricant intothe sight-tube section in small masses. If desired, a similar sight-tubesection 32 may be incorporated into the pipe 15. The plunger 16 isprovided with a crossarm 33 for loosening up the graphite Within thereservoir 10 and insuring its feed to the barrel 12 at each withdrawalof the plunger therefrom. This cross-arm is preferably triangular incross-section, one of its angles being upwardly directed and one of itssides being downwardly directed, so that it may freely pass through t-hegraphite as the plunger ascends, but tends to force it downwardly as theplunger advances.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and G a barrel 37 is settransversely across the lower end of a reservoir 8l and opens to theinterior thereof. A plunger 38 reciprocates Within this barrel, and itsforward end recedes partially across the opening to the IOO interior ofthe reservoir, so that graphite may enter the barrel and upon theadvance of the plunger will be forced forwardly to the deliveryend ot'the barrel. The plunger 38 passes outwardly through the stuffing-box 39,and power may be applied to it by means of an eccentric 40, driven bymeans of a ratchetwheel 4l or by anyother suitable means. In

this instance the barrel discharges into a rzo chamber-ed casing 42, andits discharge end is closed by a conical check-valve 43, normally heldto its seat by means of la spring 44, reacting between the head of thevalve and a plug 45, screwed into the casing 42. A f1uid-pipe46 entersthe casing42 from above, and a conveying-'pipe 47 leads downwardly yfromthe casing, and bot-h of these pipes may be provided with sight-feedsections 48 49, as shown, if desired. A follower 50 is located withinthe reservoir 34 and is forced downwardly by means of a spring 51reacting between it and the cap 35, so as to press the graphite downinto the barrel 37.

The lubricator may be supported in any preferred manner. As shown inFig. l, the tube 14 will serve as an adequate support. As shown in Fig.4, a standard 52 is provided for it.

The lubricator is particularly adapted for the use of flake graphite,which while dry is quite mobile and readily feeds to thedischarging-barrel upon the recession of the plunger. As the plungeradvances the contents of the barrel will be forced forwardly anddischarged against the resistance of the check-valve, becoming ofcourse, impacted. The conical forni of the valve separates the emergingrod of lubricant into small masses, which are carried forward by thefluid entering from the pipe 15 or 46 whether Vsuch fluid be steam,water of condensation, or air. Upon the recession of the plunger thedelivery end of the barrel remains filled with a comparatively solid rodof graphite,and whether the valve does or does not reach its seat theconveying iiuid is eifectually prevented from passing into the barrel,and hence there is no possibility of the contents of the reservoirbecoming moistened thereby, and thus rendered less mobile. This is themore effectually prevented by making the delivery end ofthe barrelsomewhat iiaring, as shown, so that the pressure in the conductin g-pipe is resisted by a conical-shaped mass of graphite. The agitation dueto the reciprocation of the plunger with its cross-arm and eccentricyoke in the construction of Fig. l and the downward pressure of thespring 5l in the construction of Fig. 4 insures the complete filling ofthe barrel upon the recession of the plunger. In the latter constructionthere is used an agitator of some kind, as shown a cross-arm 36, carriedby the plunger and projecting into the interior of .the reservoir.Preferably means are provided foradjusting the tension of the springcontrolling the conical valve at the delivery end of the barrel. Asshown in Fig. 10, this valve is provided with a stem 52, which enters alongitudinal counterbored guide-socket in a threaded stem 53, enteringthe case 42 through a threaded aperture opposite the end of the barrel37. A spring 54, coiled around the valve-stem, reacts between the valveand the bottom of the counterbore of the socket of the stem 53, and thelatter stem is provided with a radial flange 55, by which it may beturned to regulate the tension of the spring. A stuffing-box 56 isapplied to the apertured end of the casing 42 to prevent leakage aroundthe stem 53.

It is of importance that the conical valve be held to its seat by aspring-pressure either exceeding or approximately equaling thefluid-pressure within the pipe to which the graphite is delivered. It isfound in practice that if the steam or water of condensation inds itsway past the valve it will soften up and pass through the graphiteunless the latter is firmly impacted. It' the valve is not held to itsseat by a strong spring-pressure, it is apt to press a layer of graphiteupon the seat, and this is of course subject to the attack of steam orwater. The adjustability of the spring-pressure is of value, as itpermits the pressure to be regulated correspondingly with thehuid-pressure. It not infrequently happens that the duid-pressure isvaried from time to time. Should a low pressure be used and the tensionof the valve-spring be correspondingly low and then should theHuidpressure be materially increased without increasing the tension ofthe valve spring, trouble is apt to ensue from the leakage of steam orwater past the valve. To obviate this difliculty, it is preferable toadjust the spring to equal the maximum fluid-pressure that may be used.

I claim as my inventionl. In a graphite lubricator, in combination, areservoir, a barrel into which the reservoir discharges, a plungerreciprocating within the barrel, and means for withdrawing its advanceend beyond the opening between the reservoir and barrel, a tube intowhich the barrel discharges, and a fluid-pipe leading into such tube.

2. In a graphite lubricator, in combination, a reservoir, a barrel intowhich the reservoir discharges, a plunger reciprocating within thebarrel and means for withdrawing its advance end'beyondfthe openingbetween the reservoir and barrel, a tube into which the barreldischarges, and a conical sp1-in g-closed check-valve at the dischargeend of the barrel.

3. In a graphite lubricator, in combination, areservoir, a barrel intowhich the reservior discharges, a plunger reciprocating within thebarrel and means for withdrawing its advance end beyond the openingbetween the reservoir and the barrel, a tube into which the barreldischarges, a conical spring-closed check-valve at the discharge end ofthe barrel,

IOO

and a VHuid-pipe leading into the tube at the base of the valve.

4. In agraphite lubricator, in combination, a reservoir, a barrel havinga aring mouth leading directly therefrom, a plunger Within the reservoirand reciprocating into and out of the barrel, and means for causing there- 6. In a graphite lubricatcr, in combination,

a reservoir, a barrel leading directly therefrom, a plunger Within thereservoir and reciprocating into and out of the barrel, means forcausing the reciprocation of the plunger,

and a cross-arm on the plunger for agitating the contents of thereservoir, and forcing the Same toward the barrel.

7. In agraphite lubricator, in combination, a reservoir, a barrelleading directly therefrom, a plunger reciprocating vertically Withinthe reservoir and into and out of the barrel, and a triangular cross-armcarried by the plunger adapted to loosen up the graphite and force ittoward the barrel.

8. In a graphite lubricator, in combination, areservoir, aconveying-tube, a barrel in communicaticn with the reservoir and openinginto the conveying-tube and being flaring at its outer end, and meansfor forcing graphite through Ithe barrel.

FREDERICK GIELOV, SR.

Vitnesses:

LOUIS K. GILLsoN, E. M. KLATCHER.

